A major change has been made in America’s H-1B visa program. The Donald Trump administration has abolished the random lottery system implemented till now for issuing visas. In its place, a new system is being introduced in which more skilled and higher paid foreign professionals will be given priority. This decision is likely to have a direct impact on Indian flour and technical professionals, who work in the US in large numbers on H-1B visas.
The Department of Homeland Security said that the rules related to H-1B work visa are being amended so that the wages, working conditions and employment opportunities of American workers can be protected. The new rule will come into effect from 27 February 2026 and H-1B registration will be done till the financial year 2027, in which this new selection system will be used.
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Under the new provisions, visa selection will no longer be completely random. Instead, a ‘weighted system’ will be adopted, in which applicants with higher skills and higher salaries will have greater chances of getting a visa. The Trump administration says that many companies were misusing the old lottery system and foreign workers were being brought in at low wages.
Under the new provisions, visa selection will no longer be completely random. Instead, a ‘weighted system’ will be adopted, in which applicants with higher skills and higher salaries will have greater chances of getting a visa. The Trump administration says that many companies were misusing the old lottery system and foreign workers were being brought in at low wages.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the new system will increase the transparency and credibility of the H-1B visa program. Officials say this will encourage American employers to hire more skilled and higher-paid foreign experts, which will strengthen the competitiveness of the American economy.
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The government has already taken many strict steps regarding H-1B visa. Recently, it has been announced to impose an additional fee of one lakh US dollars on new H-1B visa applications. Apart from this, the verification process for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants has also been tightened from December 15, which includes checking of social media profiles.
The effect of these strict rules is being seen in India also. Many H-1B visa interviews have been postponed, due to which many people who came to India for visa stamping are stranded for months. The US State Department says that visa is a facility, not a right and every application is being thoroughly investigated keeping in mind national security and public safety.
It is noteworthy that 65 thousand H-1B visas are issued every year, while there is a provision of 20 thousand additional visas for those who have obtained higher degrees from American universities. After the implementation of the new rules, the process of obtaining a -1B visa is expected to be more competitive than before.
